The English River is a

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the

Iowa River The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and i ...

in southeastern

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The main stem of the river is long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 13, 2011 Including its longest

headwaters The headwater of a river or stream is the geographical point of its beginning, specifically where surface runoff water begins to accumulate into a flowing channel of water. A river or stream into which one or many tributary rivers or streams flo ...

tributary, the North English River, the total length increases to . Via the Iowa River, it is part of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

watershed Watershed may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage) Music * Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...

. The Deep River is a minor tributary of the English River. The towns of North English, South English and Deep River are named for the English and Deep rivers.

Course

The English River flows for much of its course in north and south forks, which join in extreme northwestern Washington County. The English River then flows generally eastwardly for about , past the town of Riverside. It joins the Iowa River in northeastern Washington County, south of

Iowa City Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's fifth-most populous city. The Iowa City metropolitan area, which enc ...

North English River

The North English River is the longer of the two forks. It rises just south of Grinnell in western Poweshiek County and flows generally east-southeastwardly through Iowa County, past the town of

Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...

. In Iowa County it collects two minor tributaries, the Deep River and the Middle English River, both of which rise in Poweshiek County and flow eastwardly for short distances.

Deep River

The Deep River is a minor tributary of the North English River. It rises about two miles north-northwest of Montezuma in the south-central part of Poweshiek County at with an elevation of . It flows generally eastward for about , passing on the north side of the village of Deep River, Iowa, until it reaches the North English River at at an elevation of in the south-west part of Iowa County. The stream was reportedly named not because the water was so deep, but rather it was so far down from the stream bank to the water. The river experienced a record flood on May 14, 1970 with a greater than 50 year recurrence interval. At the flood crest the

stream gage A stream gauge, streamgage or stream gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water level surface elevation ("stage") and/or vo ...

on the Deep River station at the town of Deep River measured a record stage of and a stream flow of

Middle English River

The Middle English River, also the Middle Fork English River, is a minor tributary of the North English River. It rises about south-southeast of the village of Deep River, Iowa in the southeastern part of Poweshiek County at with an elevation of . It flows generally eastward for about until it reaches the North English River at about northeast of North English at an elevation of near the southern border of Iowa County.

South English River

The South English River rises just south of Montezuma in southern Poweshiek County and flows generally eastwardly through extreme northeastern

Mahaska County Mahaska County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,190. The county seat is Oskaloosa. Mahaska County comprises the Oskaloosa, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area. History Mahaska County ...

and northern Keokuk County.

References

;Notes ;General references
Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry
*

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